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For years the stars of K-pop, South Korea’s pop industry, have been seen as squeaky clean. From their good looks and bright smiles to their split-second perfect dance routines and high-production music videos, every aspect of K-pop is presented in a way to be as close to perfection as possible.

The fantasy sells well: K-pop is an enormous industry that has branched out in recent years beyond South Korea's borders to the rest of Asia and, increasingly, the rest of the world. In 2016, $4.7 billion-worth of K-pop singles, albums and merchandise was sold worldwide, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. Hallyu, the Korean wave of culture, has brought us the mega-hit Gangnam Style, at the...